For My Daughter, Who's Beginning To Ask Difficult Questions

My daughter, you are dear to me,
The essence of my heart.
But when you ask me about love
I’m not sure where to start.
I could say you are over young
To ask of such a thing.
But you later may not listen
To what wisdom I might bring.

Beware first of attraction.
What’s pleasing to the eye
Expresses only appetite.
Such love is but a lie,
And can’t sustain a lasting fire
When difficulties rise.
Such love is fine when all is well,
But in hard times it dies.

Don’t look for love in taverns
Or bars. That kind of love
May yield up a good time or two
But no life to speak of.
Good times are superficial
And won’t stand any test
But one who will stand with you
When it’s difficult is best.

And don’t ever deceive yourself
About a married man.
For one who will cheat with you
Will cheat on you if he can.
No matter how he tells you
That his love for you is true.
If he could be untrue to her,
He’ll do the same to you.

My greatest word of caution
Against a bitter fall:
The human heart’s a liar,
To itself the most of all.
To get what it believes it wants,
There’s nothing it won’t do;
Tell you what you want to hear,
Excuse the wrong you do.

My daughter, I can only tell
What I’ve known and I’ve seen.
I’ve loved and lost and staggered back
To start over again.
I’d spare you the hard lessons
I’ve suffered if I could.
But sometimes learning has to hurt
To do you any good.

Some day you’ll find your true love,
An honorable man.
You’ll learn to love the slow way
through the hard times, till you stand
Beside him to profess your love,
While I give you away.
My heart will break with love for you…
But that’s another day.